DHA launches health insurance service portal

Dubai, April 11, 2013

The Dubai Health Authority (DHA) has launched an electronic portal for managing suggestions, queries, feedback and complaints related to all heath insurance services provided in Dubai.

Essa Al Maidoor, director-general of the DHA launched the insurance partner relations opinion management e-system (iPROMeS), and said: “This is one of the important steps prior to the implementation of the mandatory health insurance for Dubai. It ensures accountability and such regulatory practices are essential to ensure transparency, fairness and efficiency in the health insurance sector in Dubai.”

Dr Haidar Al Yousuf, director of Health Funding at the DHA said: “This is one of our key regulatory tools that are designed with an aim to reach out to the public and protect their rights because the people of Dubai are our key partners in the health system development process.”

He said that the portal is a mechanism whereby insured members can lodge a complaint against an insurance company if the company refuses to cover a certain service or health test that the insured member is entitled to as part of the policy.

“Besides the issue of entitlement and other health insurance related complaints, the portal also provides a platform for people to express their opinions, provide feedback and suggestions,” said Al Yousuf.

He said that insured members can log on to this system and fill out a form with the details of their health insurance policy. Once they fill out the form they will receive a notification with a ticket number via e-mail. Insured members can also use this ticket number to track their complaint.

Al Yousuf explained the functioning of the system and highlighted some important areas that the portal helps address.

He said: “Insured members who have any problems with regard to entitlement of their insurance policy can lodge a complaint online. Some of the problems of entitlement are very straightforward and can be resolved quickly. However, some complaints are more complicated and resolution of such cases could take up to a maximum of few weeks.”

“If a patient feels that the healthcare facility –hospital, clinic or laboratory- is abusing the health insurance card and putting the patient through unnecessary tests or procedures – he or she is entitled to complain to us via the portal and we will look into the matter,” Al Yousuf added.

“While accountability is important, it is equally important to appreciate the work of insurance service providers,” said Al Yousuf, adding that feedback and suggestions is an important tool to improve the services of the health sector. – TradeArabia News Service